Metal protector for the foreparts of boots and shoes.



J. T. HAN NON METAL PROTEGTOB FOR THE FOREPARTS 0F BOOTS AND SHOES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1914.

L plw Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

witnesses: [M R. IWMM JmW a. 6 M

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOTDLITHO.. WASHING/ON, D. C.

JOHN T. Harmon, or ivaricx, aissacaesmas.

METAL Pnorn'oroa roe CPI-1E ronnraitr's or isoo'r's Ann sirens.

Specification of Letters flatent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Application filed April 1'7, 1914. Serial No. 832,613.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. HANNON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Natick, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metal Protectors for the Foreparts of Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a. metal protector for the fore parts of boots and shoes.

The device is particularly adapted to be used in connection with miners boots and shoes where the soles and toe caps or tips of the shoes are exposed to very rough usage.

The object of the invention is to provide a protector which can be attached to the boots worn by miners and which will prevent the sole and toe portion of the boot from being cut and being worn by contact with the rough stone and ore with which said boots come in contact.

The object of the invention is further to provide a metal protector which will prevent the wearer from slipping. Heretofore it has been customary to drive nails with pointed metal heads into the sole of the shoe, but these nails break off and are expensive, whereas in the device of this invention the projections are made integral with the tread portion of the metal protector and cannot break off. Also such a construction is comparatively cheap and much more durable than the construction hereinbefore described wherein nails are driven into leather soles.

The invention consists in a metal protector such as hereinafter described in the specification and particularly as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved metal protector. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation shown in connection with a portion of a shoe which is indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a detail section showing a modified form of projection for the tread portion of the protector.

In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 5 is the tread portion of my improved protector, the same having a plurality of hollow pointed projections 6 struck up from the metal forming the tread portion of the protector and constituting a. means for preventing the wearer from slipping. The tread portion 5 has a flange 7 extending around the outer edge thereof, said flange being extended inwardly at the toe portion of the shoe and forming ashoulder 8 which projects over the upper edge of the sole of the shoe to which the protector is attached. Said flange on the toe portion of the shoe further extends upwardly and rearwardly so as to extend over the tip of the shoe, thus forming a tip protector which prevents the tip or toe portion of the shoe from becoming worn or cut. The flange? protects the edge of the fore part of the sole while the tread portion 5, including the projections 6, protects the tread portion of the fore part of the sole from wear and abrasion. The flange 7 is further extended upwardly at the rear ends thereof to form lips 10 and these lips, when the protector has been placed upon the shoe, are turned over at right angles to engage the upper edge of the sole of the shoe, as seen in Fig. 3. The shouldered portion 8 and the lips 10 securely attach the protector to the sole of the shoe and the same may still further be fastened thereto by means of nails driven through holes 11 and into the sole of the shoe to which the protector is attached.

My improved protector is preferably formed of a single piece of sheet metal with the different projections and flanges hereinbefore described integral with the body portion of the protector.

After the protector has been fastened to the shoe, the shoe is worn in the usual man ner and the protector saves the sole and fore part of the upper from abrasion and wear. It also prevents the wearer from slipping In Fig. 4 a modified form of projection for the tread portion of the protector is illustrated in which the tread portion 12 has frusto-conical shaped annular projections 13 thereon, said projections being open at both top and bottom thereof instead of closed at the bottom thereof as in the form of projection illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

I claim:

1. A metal protector for the fore part of a boot or shoe comprising a tread portion with a plurality of hollow projections integral therewith, a flange extending around the outer edge of said tread portion and adapted to protect the outer edge of the fore part of the sole of a shoe upon which said protector may be placed, said flange being extended inwardly at the toe portion of said shoe to project over the upper edge of said sole, and a lip projecting beyond the upper edge of said flange at each of the rear ends thereof and on opposite sides of said protector, respectively, said lips arranged to be bent over and into contact with the up per edge of said sole, whereby said protector may be attached to said sole.

2. A metal protector for the fore part of a boot or shoe comprising a tread portion with a plurality of hollow projections integral therewith and a flange extending around the outer edge of said tread portion and adapted to protect the outer edge of the fore part of the sole of a shoe upon which said protector may be placed, said flange being extended inwardly at the toe portion of. said shoe to project over the upper edge of said sole and thence'upwardly and rearwardly to extend over the tip of said shoe, and a lip projecting beyond the upper edge of said flange at each of the rear ends thereof and on opposite sides of said protector, respectively, said lips arranged to be bent over and into contact with the upper edge of said sole, whereby said protector may be attached to said sole.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN '1. HANNON.

Witnesses CHARLES S. Goonme, SYDNEY E. TAFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

